USA Women Too Strong for Guatemala

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (May 15, 2014) – The young U.S. Women’s National Team had little trouble beating Guatemala, 25-10, 25-18, 25-11 on Thursday in the first match of the NORCECA World Championship Qualification Third-Round Pool O Tournament at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.

Kelly Reeves on the attack for the U.S. Women on Thursday.

The tournament will continue on Friday when the U.S. Women (1-0) will play Panama (1-0) at 3 p.m. MT in SportsCenter I. Tickets are available at the door.

“This was the first time playing against another team (this season) and we were kind of excited,” U.S. Team Captain Kelly Reeves (San Diego, Calif.) said. “We got the jitters out the first set and then kind of got on a roll.”

The U.S. Women led the match in kills, 29-18, in blocks, 9-2 and in aces 11-6. Every player on the U.S. roster got playing time and every player started at least one set. Ten out of 12 scored at least one point.

The U.S. Women won the first and third sets fairly easily, Guatemala stayed closer in the second set, using tough serves to keep the U.S. off balance.

“Guatemala hit some good serves and their attackers were going for it,” U.S. Head Coach David Hunt said. “They weren’t letting off. They were swinging high and hard.”

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Daily passes for both the men’s and women’s tournaments are $10, while event passes for all four days is $30. Tickets are only available at the door.

All matches will be video streamed live and available on the event landing page by clicking here.

Reeves added: “Communication was a little lost and then we just met in a circle and got back to playing clean volleyball and making sure we talked.”

Reeves led the U.S. Women with 12 points on a match-high nine kills, two blocks and one aces. Katie Slay (Raleigh, N.C.) added 10 points on six attacks, two blocks and two aces.

Bailey Webster (Baltimore, Md.) totaled six points on four kills and two blocks. Kylin Munoz (Monroe, Wash.) scored four of her five points with four aces and the fifth with a kill.

Kathleen Luft (Thousand Oaks, Calif.) scored four points on three kills and one ace. Chloe Ferrari (Clovis, Calif.) totaled four points on one kills, two blocks and one ace. Maddie Martin (Tampa, Fla.) scored four points on four kills.

Molly Kreklow (Delano, Minn.) scored two points with one attack block and one ace. Hayley Hodson (Newport Beach, Calif.) score on one kill and Lauren Plum (Poway, Calif.) scored on one ace.

Among the setters, Kreklow was credited with 10 running sets and no faults while Plum was credited with six running sets and no faults. Libero Kristen Hahn was credited with four digs and five excellent receptions.

In addition to the four-team women’s NORCECA World Championship qualification tournament, a similar four-team men’s tournament will be held concurrently at the U.S. Olympic Training Center highlighted by the No. 4 U.S. Men’s National Volleyball Team. Daily passes for both the men’s and women’s tournaments are $10, while event passes for all four days is $30. Tickets are only available at the door.

All matches will be video streamed live and available on the event landing page by clicking here.

All NORCECA World Championship Qualification Pool O Tournament can be watched live by clicking here.

United States Captain Kelly Reeves: “This was the first time playing against another team (this season) and we were kind of excited. We got the jitters out the first set and then kind of got on a roll. (Coach Hunt) told us to go out there and have some fun. Don’t take this team lightly. Go out there and play USA Volleyball, what we’ve been training for. Go out there and play for each other.”

United States Head Coach David Hunt: “Since I started working with them two weeks ago they have been excited and ready to play. A lot of things tactically that we were trying to do that they have been implementing the last eight weeks, they were able to do that. Sometimes you don’t know if they will revert back to their old habits because they were still learning some things. It was good to see that transfer over to the match.”

Guatemala Head Coach David Aldana Perez: “The most important thing is for us to play together in this classification. Just playing here in the United States together is a great opportunity. Even though we're not as strong a team as the United States, I am very proud of my team, especially when we scored 18 points in the second set."

Guatemala Captain Diana Arias: “Our team has not really had the chance to play together leading up to this tournament. And playing in the high altitude was a challenge, also. But even though we lost today, I thought we played well together."